The success rate in almost two-thirds of Scottish colleges has dropped, according to new figures from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
College performance indicators for 2016-17 show that only 65.3 per cent of full-time further education students successfully completed their course that year - 0.2 per cent fewer than in 2015-16. The figures also show that of the 26 colleges delivering full-time FE courses in 2016-17, only nine had improved success rates in comparison to the previous year, while 17 recorded a decline in the proportion successfully completing their course.
According to the SFC, while the proportion of students completing successfully has dropped slightly, that still means 4,725 additional full-time FE students successfully completed their course in 2016-17, compared to 2008-09.
Student number target exceeded
The SFC publication also stressed that in addition to the almost two-thirds of students who gained the desired qualification at the end of their course, a further 9.6 per cent completed their course without achieving the qualification they were aiming for by the end of the academic year. Some of those may gain the award at a later time, it said.
The Scottish college sector exceeded its student number target for 2016-17, delivering 117,502 full-time equivalent SFC funded student places.
Shona Struthers, chief executive at Colleges Scotland, said the fact colleges had exceeded their target showed that colleges were continuing to “punch above their weight and provide opportunities for people to gain skills, upskill, retrain and enter employment”.
She added: “It is encouraging to see that there are now over 11,000 more full-time further education and higher education students successfully completing their courses, compared to 2008-09. Colleges are the linchpin upon which Scotland’s ambitions for inclusive economic growth will be realised and work closely with schools, universities and employers to deliver a skilled workforce that meets the needs of the economy.”
Indicative funding allocations
The SFC also announced its indicative funding allocations for colleges, announcing an increase in the revenue budget for colleges by 8.3 per cent to nearly £600 million, with the college capital budget also increasing by nearly £30 million to £76.7 million. Student support funding will increase by £3.6 million, the government said, with an extra £5.2 million set aside for the implementation of the Independent Review of Student Support, which published its findings only months ago.
Scottish FE minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Universities and colleges are one of the cornerstones of Scotland’s education system, supporting people of all ages to fulfil their potential in life.” She added the government was looking to colleges “to respond flexibly to the demands and challenges of the labour market, delivering on areas of priority like early learning and childcare, to ensure our workforce is fit for the future”.
Welcome boost
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, which represents college lecturers in Scotland, said the funding marked “a welcome boost to the resources available to the further and higher education sectors”. “These increases in funding will help colleges and universities invest in the staffing and resources that are required to widen access and enhance course provision for young people and mature learners in the year ahead. These funds will also ensure that universities and colleges have the finances available to meet their obligations to staff on pay, conditions and pensions,” he said.
The NUS Scotland student union president Luke Humberstone said continued investment in teaching grants was positive news for students, who see first-hand the benefits that well-resourced colleges and a properly remunerated college lecturing staff can bring.
However, he added: “While initial investment to implement the proposals of the independent student support review is welcome, it’s a drop in the ocean when you consider the reform the system needs. We hope to see a bold and ambitious response to the findings of the student-support review from the Scottish government - and soon.”
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